


Your Heart Is All I Own

by unburnttkhaleesi



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: AU, Abuse, Child Abuse, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, and a drunk, dear lord, it was 18 pages long, karen's father is abusive, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 03:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13673406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unburnttkhaleesi/pseuds/unburnttkhaleesi
Summary: At  age five he tells her that he loves her Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Lunchbox.When she is 17 he becomes her first kissAnd when they reunite at age 33, they start their lives together.





	Your Heart Is All I Own

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of my photo set. Check it: http://unburnttkhaleesi.tumblr.com/post/170812263662/kastle-au-childhood-friends-to-lovers-at-age

Kastle AU- childhood friends 

Her first day of kindergarten wasn’t what her Mama promised. She wears a floral print dress that her and Mama purchased from the second hand store along with a pair of mary janes with frilly socks. Her long blonde hair is done in two braids with fabric ribbon at the ends of them and she has a gently used pink backpack and her cousin’s old ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ lunch box.

She wanted the one with Care Bears on it.

Karen walks by herself to her first day of school, with a nice dark bruise on her left eye. Mama had gotten the worst of it, she always had and Kevin was always safe. Mama couldn’t walk her to school because she ‘hurt’ to much and she didn’t want her Daddy to. Karen was alright on her own, she was always alright. When she gets to her school, her nerves get the best of her and she freezes at the doorway. 

The building is huge and she finally takes in the extra noise around her. The move from Vermont to New York was jarring enough, but now she was at a place where she didn’t have her baby brother or her Mama to make her feel better. She did swear to herself that she wasn’t going to cry, but a tear begins to threaten to escape her eye, until.

“Are you okay?”

She whips around to see a boy standing behind her. He was a bit taller than her, with dark brown, almost black curls and cool brown eyes. His ears were a bit too big for his head, but he had concern written all over his face. Next to him was an older woman, who was kneeling down to check if she was alright as well. 

“Yeah,” Karen sniffs, trying to hide the fact that she was overwhelmed. “I’m okay.”

“Doesn’t look like your okay.” The boy states. “Hey, is it your first day of school to? Maybe we can walk in together- if you want.” He turns his head to the woman. “Is that alright, mom?”

The woman smiles brightly and slowly reaches out to touch Karen’s face, examining the bruise. “Where'd you get that, sweetie?”

Her answer is practiced, automatic. “I was pushin’ my brother in a baby swing at the park and I got distracted.”

The womans face is unreadable and she stands up before ruffling the boy’s mop of curls. “Well, Frankie, I think that’s a great idea.” Karen watched as she reached into her handbag and took out a small pack of pink tissues. “Here you go-”

“Karen, my name is Karen Page.”  
The woman smiles. “Page,” She looks at her son. “Well look at that, Frankie, we just met our new neighbors, We live in a row of houses right next to yours. Talk about a small world and listen sweetheart, tell your mommy that our door is always open.”

The woman then places a kiss utop her sons head and smiles warmly at Karen. “Have a good day you two.”

They both watch her walk off and the boy finally introduces himself. “I’m Frank by the way, it’s nice to meet you, Karen.”

He slips his little hand into hers and together they walk into the building and it’s nice. The building is old, she can tell that by the aged walls, but it smells like old books and she likes that smell. 

“I like your lunch box.” Frank suddenly says and Karen gives him a funny look. “Who’s your favorite turtle?” He asks her, a bright toothless smile on his face. “Mines Leonardo!”

Karen looks down at her lunch box, just a few seconds ago, she hated the thing. Now she was actually liking it, because Frank liked it and well, she liked Frank. “I think Donatello is the best.” She brightens up. “Because he is the brains of the group and April is so cool ‘cause she is like a reporter! And that’s what I wanna be when I grow up.”

Frank is beaming at her and Karen feels butterflies in her belly. “Cool, well since we are friends now, do you wanna sit next to each other?”

“We’re friends?” Karen asks, feeling excitement bubbling up. She’s never had a real friend, well expect Kevin and her Mama.

Frank nods and laughs. “Of course, I we both like Ninja Turtles so that makes us friends.”

With a reassuring smile, she gives a happy nod and they both walk into the classroom together.

And just like that, they are best friends. Karen is over Franks almost everyday after school, she teaches him how to play double dutch and he teaches her how to play jacks. When the leaves fall, they carve pumpkins and drink hot apple cider and when the snow blankets Hell’s Kitchen, they build the biggest snowman on the block. When summer comes around the corner, they play in the rain to cool down their bodies and sneak into the public pool. They are pretty much known at a package deal through grade school. They both have other friends, but were ever one went, the other followed and it was just how it had to be.

Karen likes Frank because he never looks at her funny when she comes to school with a busted lip or with a black eye. He doesn’t ask anymore, he’s seen her dad so he just knows. Thought it does anger Frank, since he dad told him that a real man should never lay a hand on a woman. One day he’ll do something about Karen’s dad, he knows he will.

And Frank likes Karen because she is his center. He knew he had issues with his temper, it was well known throughout the school and the neighborhood. He honestly only had to look in Karen’s direction when he was getting frustrated and it was like an instant calm took him over.

\----------

He does however fully lose it the summer before their freshman year of highschool. Karen finally hit a growth spurt and was officially the same height as he was and her looks changed. She went, from as his mom said, a cute little girl to a beautiful young woman. Freckles still adorn her nose though, but he begins to notice her full lips and how blue her eyes are. Other guys in the neighborhood being to notice too and Frank doesn’t take too well to that.

One warm day in particular, they are sitting on his stoop watching Kevin struggle to open a fire hydrant. She’s laughing at him as she snacks on a cherry popsicle that is now staining her lips red. “He saw that on tv once,” She explains as she points to Kevin. “And just like the time he stuck his tongue to the light pole, he’s gonna try it.”

“You gotta give it to the kid, he has his dreams.” Frank laughs. A heat wave came across Hell's Kitchen and being outside was actually cooler than being cooped up inside. So his mom and Karen’s mom were sitting on the patio while his dad worked on his truck. Mr. Page was of course at the bar no doubt, spending whatever money the Pages had left. The whole neighborhood was outside though and it easily spelled trouble.

They knew that more than ever when a gang of boys came into view, varying in age but old enough to be in highschool. They of course caught notice of Kevin trying to open the hydrant and the oldest boy, or so Frank guessed came waltzing over. “Here, kid, lemme help.”

Kevin stepped back and let the older kid do what he couldn’t. Suddenly a large spray of water erupted from the hydrant and Kevin, along with all the other kids on the block squealed with joy. Frank noticed how the older kid made eye contact with Karen and made his way over to the two of them.

The kid was big, all muscle and was proud to show that off, trying to hide the fact that he was flexing his arms in front of Karen. “Hey babe.” the kid says with a cocky grin. “So uh, how about you ditch the loser and come with us to the pool.”

Karen doesn’t even make eye contact with the beef head in front of her, she looks past him at Kevin. “No, but thanks for the offer.” Karen was always polite, even when the situation didn’t call for it. The kid of course was going to keep pushing his luck, much to Frank’s dismay.

“C’mon, heats got your brain melted.” He accuses. “I can show you a good time, if you’ll let me.”

She still doesn’t give him any sort of contact. “I said no thank you, I’m happy right here.”

The kid again doesn’t take no for an answer and this time, he wraps his grimey hand around Karen’s wrist in an attempt to pull her up, but Frank is right there. “The fuck is wrong with you man?” He growls, shoving the much larger kid in the chest. “She told you no!”

The kid staggers back and puts his hands up. “You really wanna fuck with me, huh you little shit- hows about I fu-”

The kid doesn’t even get a word out because Frank’s fist connected with the kids jaw with a sicking pop. The two quickly end up in the middle of the street and fists are flying. The kids playing the the water scatter and Karen is up on her feet, screaming at Frank to stop, finally Mr. Castle comes running from his truck. The older man pulls his son off of the kid, who staggers to his feet, his fists curling to attack Frank, but Karen stands between them. “Get the hell out of here!” She seethes. “Now! Or so help me god, he will let him go!”

“Crazy asshole!” The kid spits. “I’ll be back and you better watch your ass!” He joins his friends and hightails it as fast as he can. 

Karen turns and looks at Frank, his dad finally let him go and began to lecture him about what just happened. “He was defending me, I’m sorry Mr. Castle.” The older man seems to sigh and nod his head, walking away as Karen touches his bruising face. “You’re hurt.”

“No shit.” Frank laughs, wincing at the pain, put leaning into her hand.

Karen rolls her eyes at him and then nods toward the house as their mothers come running over. “Let's get you cleaned up.” She smiles, her heart fluttering not in worry anymore, but with something else. She reaches her hand and takes his, giving it a quick squeeze before walking toward their worrying mothers.

\------

After the incident in august, no one dares to mess with Karen and when they start highschool the following september, they are in most of the same classes. Karen joins the paper and Frank joins the football team. It was there when he catches the eye of one of the cheerleaders and then she is all that he can talk about whenever they are together. Maria was always on Franks mind and he was always asking Karen for advice. Then finally after months of talking about Maria non-stop he asks her out and she accepts, much to Karen’s dismay.

She loses her best friend, but she keeps herself busy with the school paper. Her teacher says that she has a talent and saves each article that she writes for her portfolio, because she will go to NYU with her talent.

They do pass each other in the hall often, Karen is alone and Frank is with Maria. His arm is always wrapped around the other girl’s shoulder and they are always laughing about something. It’s like after so many years, they’ve become pure strangers to each other.

But when she gets home from school, one day in her junior year, after witnessing an intense makeout between Frank and Maria, she runs past her drunken father’s yells and into her room, dead bolting the door as quickly as she can. Karen looks at herself in the mirror, wondering what she lacked that Maria had. For one thing, she was too tall and too pale and just too weird, too quiet, she wasn’t Maria. 

Karen gave a sad sigh as she stripped off her clothes, changing into a sundress and opening the window to let the warm spring breeze in. Karen puts her glasses on and takes out her notepad and pen to work on her article for the school paper. However, her neighbor catches her eye. Frank Castle is currently in his room, shirtless and looking so damn good. Karen has to bite her lip to stop herself from sighing, but then she notices the black eye and bloody nose. He got into another fight again. Karen shook her head in disapproval and began working on her article again.

She is interrupted again by the sound of glass shattering and her father screaming at her mother. Karen jumps as she hears him come up the stairs and pound at her door, soon the old wooden thing flings open and the shell of the man charges toward her, his yells curled to the point where she couldn’t understand what he was mad about and when she makes the mistake of asking him, she gets the back of his hand across her cheek. “Stupid little bitch.” He barks before leaving her room and leaving Karen to her own confusion.

When she finally looks up, she sees Frank standing at his window and looking at her with such intensity in his eyes. She narrows her eyes at him, because how dare he pity her after three years of not even a second glance her way and closes her blinds in a huff. 

It wasn’t until around ten at night, that same day when she hears a tap at her window. Karen gets up from her bed, pulls open the blinds and sees Frank Castle sitting on the roof. Something comes over her and she opens the screen and he climbs in, instantly pulling her into his arms. His fingers tangled in her hair as he apologizes over and over again. Karen hates that she is actually crying.

She hears him sigh and she looks up from his shoulder and turns her head to see that he is looking at her broken door. Frank lets go of her and walks over toward it, shaking his head. “I’ll be right back.” He tells her before exiting out of the window. She thought for sure that she just dreamed this up as she wanders back toward her bed, but when Frank returns with a tool box, she knows it’s real. He takes out a few locks, and begins working on her door, using a power drill to properly secure the locks. She quickly bolts over to the door, but Frank seems to read her mind. “I saw him leave ten minutes ago, so he won’t know.”

Karen settles herself back onto the end of the bed, and when Frank is done he joins her. She counts three different locks on the door and smiles when Frank hands her the key to the padlock, he already had it on a chain and slips it around her neck. “There, now he can’t bother you.” For a moment he pauses and the room falls into a comfortable silence. Frank carefully traces her bruised cheek with his hand and frowns.

“Who did you get into a fight with this time.” Her small voice breaks the silence and Frank chuckles. 

“One of my teammates was talking shit, so I bashed his head against a locker a few times.” 

Karen shook and sent him a disapproving frown. “Something about Maria,” She asks, holding that little bubble of jealousy that always formed when she heard his girlfriend’s name.

There is another beat of ear ringing silence and at first she thought she crossed a line, Karen came close to apologizing, but his voice interrupts her. “Nah, was something about you. Hal Barns was saying some shit about you and I dunno- know one hurts you when I’m around, alright?”

She scoffs and gives a sour laugh. “Seriously Frank,” She can feel her emotions rises up. “You haven’t spoken to me or even looked my way in three years and now you get on this high horse of defending my honor!?” She shakes her head as she stands up, crossing her arms across her chest. “That’s not how this works.”

“Karen, I have been looking out for you over the past three years!” He is quick to defend himself. “I just had to separate myself from you and it’s not because of the football team or Maria, like you think, it’s because I was holding you back.” His voice shakes, but he keeps eye contact with her. “I was your only friend since we were kids- and you just blossomed during our first few months in highschool. I still looked out for you though, I will always look out for you.”

Karen honestly hated the effect that Frank Castle had on her. The fact that he could just look at her with those piercing dark eyes and she could forgive and forget everything? She questioned if that was even healthy. “Can you stay for the night, please.” She meant nothing by it, she just wanted him to be near her, make her feel safe like he always did. He sees the fear in her eyes, the fear of her father, the fear of living in this neighborhood and mostly the fear of rejection. 

Frank gives a quick nod of the head and scoots back towards her headboard, Karen follows in suit and her heart skips a beat when he wraps his large arms around her. She does follows Franks eyes as he scans her room, noticing the differences and making a comment on her massive book collection and she soon quickly falls into the most peaceful sleep she had in years.

When she wakes up in the morning, she finds herself with a throbbing pain on the side of her face and then realizes that a set of masculine arms are wrapped around her. Her brain registers that it is indeed Frank who is still in bed with her. She turns around in his arms and looks up at his face and notices how much he has changed. His boyish features were gone and he now looked rugged, even more so with a swollen lip and a black eye. Though his hair was still the same, a mop of loose curls. She reached up and moved a curl out of his closed eyes and slowly dragged a slender finger down the slope of his nose, giving a small smile at the mumbled nonsense she gets back from him. She is careful to avoid his busted lip as her fingers work down to his neck and the chain that hung around it. Karen examines the cross that he has on, he had gotten that for his confirmation. Frank and Karen weren’t religious themselves, but her mother and Frank’s parents were. Suddenly there is a shift in her bed and Frank mummers something before nuzzling his nose into her neck and breathing in deeply. “You smell good.” He says in a groggy voice. “The hell you smell this good in the morning?” She a small bubble of laughter erupts from her chest and she gives Frank a small pat on the shoulder.

“We have to get up, your parents are going to notice that your not in your room.” She explains and Frank lets out a hum against the skin of her neck. Goosebumps are quick to appear on her skin and her heart hammers in her chest. “Frank?”

“They know I am here.” He explains. “Told ‘em last night.”

“And they are alright with that.” She wonders and Frank cocks a brow. “I know you’ve been giving them a hard time, Frank.”

Frank doesn’t say a word for a second and then sucks in a deep breath. “Look, when it comes to you, anything goes. My parents like you- now if it was Maria…”

Maria, his long time girlfriend. Karen nods her head and doesn’t utter another word. It’s not that Karen doesn’t like Maria, she just actually doesn’t know her well enough. She knows she is a cheerleader, actually one of the only girls on the squad that doesn’t harass Karen and she can cook, her knowledge only being from a class they had together. That was it honestly, she knew that she was Frank’s girlfriend and for three years she silently blamed her for Frank ditching her.

She honestly feels like she should apologize to her or something, but then she realizes that she is currently tangled up in bed with Frank and decides she owes her lunch one day. “I’m supposed to meet with her sometime today, told my mom that if she comes by to tell her I’m sick.”

“Why would you do that?” Karen asks him softly.

“Cause I wanna spend the day with you.”

\-------

After that night they become inseparable again and Maria surprisingly takes a huge liking to Karen. It gets to the point were they both sit on the bed of his truck while he works on it. Karen tells her funny stories from their childhood and Maria beams and laughs. When she isn’t spending time with Frank or at school working on the paper, she is shopping with Maria. It’s strange to her, to have another person to call a friend, 

One particular day they are both sitting in the food court, eating fries when Maria suddenly says. “You and Frank, you have this sort of connection.” The brunette says. “It’s like a bond that I will never have with him.”

Karen looks up at her from her soda and gives her a smile. “Yeah, but he loves you and he is loyal to you-”

“Yeah, we’re in love and we are dating. But what he has for you is like this raw emotion-” Maria takes a breath at the look of confusion on Karen’s face. “Okay, like for example: You heard about his fight with Hal, right?” Karen nods at the question. “It was about you and, Jesus, Karen I’ve seen Frank get mad, but this was- it was scary. Some of the guys on the football team had this list of girls that they would fuck and dump. You were at the top of Hal’s list, he said you were easy cause of like your daddy issues and Frank just exploded. I honestly think that if the guys didn’t pull Frank off, Hal would have been in acoma.”

Karen didn’t know what to say to her at this point, she doesn’t hear of hint of jealousy in Maria’s voice, but more of pride and admiration as Maria continues on. “Frank would do anything for me, he’d grab the moon if I’d ask him to, but you and him? It’s a bond that I wish I had with a friend.”

\--------

They don’t speak of that day ever again, and she never brings it up to Frank. Months pass by and she soon finds herself in her senior year and waiting for that college acceptance letter. Finally in April it arrives, NYU, she got into NYU on a scholarship and her heart soars. The first person that she of course wants to tell is Frank, but when she gets to his house, her mother tells her that he isn’t there, but hands her a note from him. She flips the paper open quickly and in his messy writing, she reads that he is at their spot at the waterfront. So she thanks Mrs. Castle and rushes off to meet with him.

She practically sprints up to him when she stands him standing against the rail. He is looking out to the city skyline, listening to the sound of the water. “Frank!” She calls out while running over, “Frank,” She is smiling ear to ear. “I-”

“Maria, she uh- broke up with me.” He says, his voice shakes and Karen blinks in surprise. “She did it cause she was pissed about me joining the Marines, she doesn’t want me to go so-” He takes in a shuttered breath. “She ended it.”

Karen is speechless because she truly thought that Maria and Frank would always be together. “Frank, I-” She knew Maria didn’t approve of him going into the Marines, while Karen had thought it would be good for him, she listened to Maria rant about it. “Frank, I am so sorry.” She licks her lips and searches his face. “But, you’ll get back together. This is just a bump.”

His scoff makes her know that he doesn’t believe her, or is just so pissed off at the world right now. She steps closer to him and puts her hand on his shoulder. “Frank, it will work out in the end. Maria just needs time. You’ve been a constant in her life for almost four years. It’ll be okay in the end.”

His looks her up and down for a moment before he finally looks down at the paper in her hand. With a furrowed brow, he plucks it from her grasp and reads it. A smile takes over his frown and his eyes light up. “You got in?” His voice is in a whisper but she smiles. “Karen, that’s great!” Large arms swoop around her and she is pulled against his chest. He is using this moment of happiness for forget about what was troubling him, she knew that. “God dammit, it took them long enough! I thought I was going to have to haul ass up there and show them your articles myself.”

She pulls back a little, looking at him with a hint of a smile on her face. “And how would you do that?”

His ears are turning red, he’s embarrassed and she can’t help the laugh that escapes her. “I’ve kept everything you’ve written since middle school, Page.”

Karen stepped back and gave his left bicep a small shove. “Shut up, no you didn’t.” But his eyes spoke the truth. She doesn’t know what to say, so she wraps her arms around him and hugs him tightly. “You are too much, Castle.”

\--------

It’s a month after his break up with Maria that Karen gets her first kiss, and of course it’s from Frank and of course it’s intense.

It’s the weekend and they might have stolen some cheap beer for the corner sore. Both were a little tipsy on the flat roof of the recreation center. The May air was uncommonly warm, making Karen’s long waves stick to her neck in an uncomfortable sweat. She of course doesn’t mind, after all, they were both celebrating the fact that they graduated and she was with her best friend. They are both laughing, both three beers into a twelve pack and of course they didn’t check the alcohol content on the cheap beer and both are a little tipsy.

“Do you remember when you tried to dye my hair with that Kool Aid pack?” Karen asks him and he laughs. “My god, Mama was so pissed- I was a redhead for the whole summer.”

“Yeah, but you worked that cherry red hair like champ. I thought you looked pretty like that-” He takes a swing of his beer. “Fuck, I always thought you were pretty- hell, you’re damn beautiful Karen.” He tells he thumbs her cheek which she can feel redding under his touch. His thumb explores her gentle jaw line, before coming up to swipe along her bottom lip. “Why hasn’t anyone come around for you yet?”

His question is met with silence because they both know the answer to it. It was him, he was the reason why no ones has come around to sweep her off of her feet. It’s not that guys were scared of him it was the fact that anyone could see the connection that she had with Frank and it was threatening to have to compete with. Her breath catches in her throat as he cupped her cheek and then pressed his lips to hers.

Her first kiss starts off as the sweet and gentle thing that she expected it to be. Her heart pounds in her chest because her first kiss is exactly who she wants it to be with. Though, of course with Frank, things don’t stay gentle.

She’s on her back with Frank between her legs and his hands are everywhere. His lips are rough against hers and his hands on her thighs under her dress. She shudders at the feeling of his calloused fingers against her soft skin and a gasp falls from her lips when he nips at her neck. Karen’s mind is clouded and she barely registers the fact that he hooked one of her legs around his waist. Her fingers are tangled in his hair and his tongue swipes across her bottom lip when she feels something pressing into her. She wants to keep going, she really does, but she knows that she isn’t who Frank really wants. 

So when Frank begins trailing kisses down her neck, toward the subtle amount of cleavage her summer dress offered. “Frank,” She breaths and she feels him smile against her skin. “God, Frank-” She keeps herself from arching into the hand on her breast. “We need to- stop- we got to stop.” Karen wants to cry about her guilty heart. “I’m not ready.”

Frank had never been an ass toward her, so he does stop and moves away from her. His face is flushed and his pupils are dilated. He licks his lips, his face showing concern and he strokes her cheek. “I’m sorry.” He breathes. “I didn’t- I don’t regert this, but I didn’t realize that you-”

Karen smiles and kisses his palm. “It’s okay, Frank.” She whispers. “But is this is meant to be anything other than a friendship, we need to give it some time, okay.” She can’t and won’t be a rebound from Maria and even though she doesn’t voice that, Frank respects her choice.

\-----

Two months later, he get backs to Maria and Karen is too proud to cry. She doesn’t become that bitter friend though, instead she is supportive like she always is and helps Frank train for bootcamp.

They run at the crack of dawn every morning and the never talk about what happened between them the night after graduation. Instead they talk about the future or nothing at all, she is always okay with silence when it came to Frank. She tends to sit on his back when he does push up and she reads him passages from whatever book she is reading that week.

Then August comes and just like that, he is gone. She hugs him tight before he goes and tears are streaming freely because she will miss him more than she can tell him with Maria right there.

\----

Kevin is killed in October and a part of Karen dies with him.

Maria must have told Frank, because the phone doesn’t stop ringing. She can’t bring herself to answer it, Kevin’s death is on her and guilt just eats away at her.

\---

Frank comes home from bootcamp in November and the first thing he does is climb through her window, climbs into her bed and wraps his arms around her.

She turns to face him and before he can look at her face, she buries herself into his chest and sob uncontrollably. He comforts her the best he can by rubbing her back and speaking softly to her, until he feels something rough against his arm.

His face is unreadable when he sees her cast.d

“That from the accident?”

Her silence, black eye and busted lip answers his question.

“I’m gonna rip his fuckin’ throat out!”

He is up on his feet and down the stairs before she can stop him. Karen chases after him, begging him to come back to bed, but she is shocked to see that Frank has her father by his neck and pinned to the wall, his feet dangling. “You fucking piece of shit,” Frank spits as her father’s face turns red. “You are the most worthless man I have ever set my eyes on and Karen is done with you, you hear me!” Frank is screaming at him now and Karen feels frozen in her spot. “You ever, ever come near her again, I’ll fucking kill you and no one will find your body!”

And Frank lets him go, walks over to Karen and tells her. “Pack your stuff, Maria has a place for you.”

\----  
She takes Maria up on her offer when Frank gets stationed and she happens upon the pregnancy test on accident.

Her stomach drops because it’s positive and that means Maria is pregnant with her bestfriend’s baby. Karen feels her chest tighten because that’s it, Frank is such an honorable guy that he’ll put a ring on Maria’s finger.

So she knows it’s time for her to move on, its for the best after all.

\----  
Lisa Castle is born and Karen thinks she is the cutest baby that she had ever seen. She’s all Maria, but her eyes are Franks. Karen helps Maria as much as she can and makes sure that Frank is up to date about his daughter.

They even send him pictures of Lisa’s first beach trip. In one of the pictures, Karen is smiling brightly and her hair had been wet from the ocean. Her forehead his pressed against Lisa’s and they are both smiling brightly.

She had no idea that the picture is on Frank’s nightstand, right next to the one of him and Maria after they got married.

\-----

Karen doesn’t realize that she is drifting before it’s too late. It happens when Frank Junior is born and she feels bad, she does, but Frank needed to be more involved with his family rather than her. She visits sometimes, makes sure the kids get birthday gifts from her and christmas cards. But she had to separate herself, it was for the best after all.

\-----

Years pass by and she soon finds herself working as a legal secretary at Nelson and Murdock and one snowy February day, a familiar face walks into the office. Karen almost spits out her coffee when realization hits her.

“Frank?” She breathes and he gives her a quirk of his lips and pushes his hood off his head. “What are you doing here? Is Maria alright, what about the kids?”

He isn’t responding, just looking at her. Maybe he was taking her in the way she was. The first thing Karen noticed was the buzz cut, his mop of curls was gone and she found herself missing it. Her eyes rake over his face, he of course had aged the same way she had and she could easily tell his nose had been broken a few more times since their last meeting. His eyes still were the same; soft, kind and gentle even if it was only towards her. “Frank?” She tries again,he smiles and her heart flutters. Karen has to mentally kick herself, he’s a married man. “Um, what brings you here?”

He takes a seat across from her and sighs. “I uh looked you up on facebook and it said you worked here which is awesome since I am looking for a lawyer.” Karen blinks and Frank slumps into his chair. “Maria and I are getting a divorce.”

“Wait,” Karen’s world slows down and she has to actually put her coffee down so she doesn’t drop it. “What? Why?”

Frank shrugs. “Says we’ve never had a true bond, that we love each other but not in love and then said that I am emotionally unavailable.”

“You? Emotionally unavailable.” A smile appears on her lips which in turn makes him smile. However, his explanation catches up with her and she remembers what Maria said to her when they were teenagers. She told Karen that she admired the bond that she shared with Frank and guilt hit it. Was she the reason why he was the way he was. “Are you sure you can’t fix this, with Maria?”

He laughs, it’s bitter and she can tell. “Page, there ain’t no saving this marriage. We’ve been separated for three years. We just fell out of love.” Frank explains. “It’s mutual, trust me.”

Karen licks her lips and sits back in her chair. “Alright,” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “Matt and Foggy will be happy- you are their first divorce case.”

“That should make me nervous, but with you here-” He looks at her desk and the boxes next to it. “Why aren’t you writing?” He asks and Karen struggles for words. “Thought you wanted to be a journalist, like Lois Lane.”

“I-” Karen beings but it stopped when the office behind her opens up and Matt walks out.

“Karen,” Her boss greets, “I thought I heard someone here.” He puts a hand on her shoulder

Frank’s eyes meets hers and she clears her throat. “Yeah, Matt, This is Frank Castle and he is looking to be your first client.”

Matt stretches a hand out to Frank who gives it a firm shake. “Pleasure to meet you Mr. Castle, just step into my office and we can discuss your terms- and Karen? I am going to have to cancel tonight, so sorry.” He brushes off before retreating back into his office with Frank behind him.

However when they are done their conversation, Frank slips her a note on her desk and she opens it with a wide smile.

‘Waterfront tonight, 6pm, I’ll have some food.’

She is almost giddy as she neatly folds up the paper and tucks it away

\--------  
The docks are like their special spot, the old benches could tell stories about their life and the conversations shared between them. She finds their bench, marked with a simple ‘F&K’ carved into the metal and sits down. In a few seconds, she hears footsteps and turns to see frank with a bag of take out and two drinks in his pockets. 

“Hi” She smiles as he plops down next to her.

“Hey” His voice is soft, calm and it relaxes her. “Got takeout, extra fortune cookies.” and Karen smiles as he hands her a carton of food. “That lawyer friend of yours is an ass, not the goofy one- I liked him, but the pompous one.” His mouth is halfway full with rice. “I highly dislike him.” He shrugs at Karen’s quirked brow. “Lisa highly dislikes the word hate.”

She smiles at the mention of the little girl. “How is little Lisa?” She asks as she takes the fried wontons from the bag. “Probably not so little anymore, huh?”

Frank has this proud smile on his face. It was what she admired about him the most, his love for his family and his friends. “Damn, where do I start on Lisa.” He laughs a little. “She reminds me of you, actually. Lisa is the over achiever and is the lead editor on her school paper. In all honors and does track, best runner in her grade. But she’s humble and sweet and just cares way to much about shit she shouldn’t worry about.” He beams. “She’s my little flower child, but Frankie, nah, he is my mini me and I keep trying to set him straight. It’s gotten worse since me and Maria called it quits. When he was little, Kare, he used to stash cookies in the piano bench and play soldier, would end up falling asleep with cookie crumbs everywhere. Now he is at the office almost every other day.”

Karen smiles sadly and sighs. “Frankie is you, Frank and you shouldn’t be ashamed about that. If anything you can help him through his rough spots when he is ready. If anything he needs-”

“A you?” He interrupts and Karen rolls her eyes playfully. “What, you always kept me in line as a kid. I get what you are saying though and thanks, Karen.” The cold begins to nip at them and they call it a night with a long hug from Frank.

\-------

They meet up again after the divorce is finalized. Karen wanted to give him some actual space to get settled on a life without Maria. It’s settled on 50-50 custody and split holidays. Frank and Maria are still friendly toward each other, even though Karen couldn’t meet her eyes in court. But it was Maria who stopped her in the ladies room. She doesn’t look mad, or sad and Karen is frozen in place when she begins to talk casually. 

“I was never the one that Frank was meant to be with.” She tells her. “It was you, it was always you and honestly I always knew that. So I hope that you two figure out what all of us see, you know?” She takes Karen’s hands, a smile on her face. “Love him, Karen and take good care of him. I’ll be seeing you around.”

Around dinner time, there is a knock on her door. She finds Frank behind it with a box of pizza in his hand. She opens the door wide and he makes himself comfortable by grabbing plates and two bottles of beer, handing her one and she laughs.

“What?” he asks as he takes a seat on her sofa.

“It’s nothing,” she says with a grin. “It’s just last time we drank together- you kiss me.” She tells him, feeling warmth in her cheeks. “I mean it was years ago, but-”

“I remember it.” Frank nods. “Night of our graduation, we both got piss drunk on the roof and things got pretty heated between us.” There is a beat. “I wish we didn’t stop.”

Her heart is beating out of her chest and her eyes flick up to meet his. “Frank I-”

“It’s alright, Karen. I’m not rebounding, I’m not heartbroken, I just want you.” Frank’s tells her shyly.

Karen smiles. “No, Frank. I was going to say that I wish that we didn’t stop too.”

It was all he needed. He leaned in slowly, hand on her cheek and she takes in his scent. It’s a mix of pine trees and motor oil, it’s a strange combination and she finds herself nervous when she feels his hot breath against her lips. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do this.” His hand moves from her cheek to the back of her neck and he bumps her nose against his. A laugh escapes her lips and he kisses her. 

The first thing she realizes is that he his smiling against her lips and a rumble of a laugh vibrates against her mouth when she whimpers at the fact that she can’t run her fingers through his hair so she settles them on his broad chest. His lips are a little wind chapped and he tastes like beer and pizza, but what does she care. Frank Castle is kissing her in her apartment and she feels like she is flying. 

When they break apart, she presses her forehead against his, her long hair tickling his shoulder. They don’t speak and her hand his on his forearm, thumb rubbing against his shirt. “I’ve missed you Frank.” She murmurs.

“Missed you too, Page.”

She opens her eyes and locks with his. “Good, now take me to bed.”

A devilish grin spreads on his lips. “Yes, Ma’am”

\-------

His kids find out about them about four months into their relationship and Karen blames herself. More so Lisa finds out and keeps Frank Junior in the dark. It’s Karen’s fault actually. She had spent the night at Frank’s townhouse and forgot to take home her eyeliner of all things. Lisa is a bright little fifteen year old and is overjoyed when her dad tells her it’s Karen’s, much to Frank’s confusion. 

She had met up with Frank’s kids, Lisa loved her and often came to her with articles for her paper while Frankie asked her about her taste in music and movies. The preteen boy almost fell out of his chair when he found out she was a comic book fan, though they were still over careful with telling him. Though when he does find out about his Dad and Karen, he shrugs as he is deep into the first issue of Outcast and gives a small smile and tells them it’s cool.

Frank is thrilled that the kids accept her and respect her, before long Karen leaves her apartment and moves into the townhouse and they have a Fourth of July BBQ with Maria and her new boyfriend. It’s not weird or awkward, just normal.

\-------

She finds out she’s pregnant while typing away at her office at the Bulletin, a job she had just gotten thanks to Frank and his constant pushing. Her doctor calls her and she almost drops her phone in pure shock because she loves Lisa and Frankie, but this would be her own baby with Frank. Her happiness begins to fade and worry sets in. Would Frank want another kid, a baby more so that needs constant attention and care? Would his kids accept another sibling, would they hate her?

Those worries fade when she shyly tells Frank. He whisks her into his arms, still sweaty from work and plants a kiss to her lips. She giggles, frames his face with her hands and asks. “You’re happy?”

“Happy? Babe, I am over the moon!” He shouts, causing some of his co-workers to look his way. “We’re having a baby and I’m finally gonna have something I am better in than you are.”  
He places her on her feet and she slugs his shoulder. “Shut up.” She rubs her smile, attempting to hide it. “I’ll see you at home.”

“I love you, beautiful!”

“Love you too, Teddy Bear.” She says with a wink and tries her best fight off her laugh when she hears the construction workers roar in laughter.

\----

Evelyn Rose Castle is born on a rainy April morning and is the most perfect thing that Karen had ever seen. She comes into the world with a small cry to announce her appearance and then quietly observes everything around her. The nurses comment on how curious she is of everything around her and Maria, who brings the kids and coos at the newborn and laughs on how alert she is, commenting how she is her mother’s daughter.

But what makes Karen misty eyed would have to be how soft Frank is around her. She wakes up on a conversation that she isn’t supposed to hear. Frank has Evelyn in his arms, her small hand wrapped around his large finger. “I’m going to pop the question to your mommy, that’s why those nurses put you in that silly hat.” There is a pause and he chuckles. “Don’t look at me like that, you’re not even a day old yet. Give your old man some props for being creative.”

She shifts in her bed and Frank turns around, beaming broadly. “Hey.” She whispers, partly through a hoarse voice and partly because of the infant in the room. “How is she?”

“Calmest baby I’ve ever met.” He sways back in forth and she smiles. “Met her siblings earlier and she has her big brother so wrapped around her finger. You wanna hold her.”

Karen slowly sits up in her bed and nods. Frank has excitement written all over his face as he hands the baby to her and quickly steps back as Karen reads what is on her hat. ‘Mommy, please marry Daddy?’ She laughs at the bright pink words, looks up at Frank and smiles. “It’s about damn time!”

“That’s a yes?” He asks and she nods.

“Yes!” She laughs and Frank seals the deal with a kiss.

It was a relationship years in the making worth waiting for and well worth the wait.


End file.
